1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to systems, devices and methods for protecting plants by covering them with a foldable self-supporting cover or protector made of plastic or other material.
2. Description of the Related Art
Seeds and bulbs are often started in a greenhouse or controlled growing environment. In such place, sensitive plants are protected from damaging conditions until they reach a size or state to withstand adverse weather. The use of greenhouses to extend the growing season dramatically increases the cost of production of fruits, flowers, vegetables and other plants and crops.
Through the years, various assemblies have been created and used to protect plants and crops during early growth in the spring and from low temperatures and frost in the spring. For example, a plastic or cardboard container is placed over each tomato plant in a garden to protect them from nightly cold temperatures. The containers allow tomato plants to get an early start on the growing season. The containers prevent or reduce the risk of transplanting before the overnight ambient temperature is sufficiently tolerable for plants.
Individual plant protectors tend to be expensive when compared to the price of produce obtained from each covered plant. It is often necessary to spread the cost of plant protectors over multiple growing seasons to make the return on investment worthwhile. Further, it is often difficult to anchor a plant protector to the ground so that it will not be blown away by a wind. Many plant protectors do not offer much ventilation. Although a user could cut ventilation openings in each container, such openings would reduce the insulation value of such modified containers.
Some types of containers require that someone remove them from plants each morning and replace each of them as night falls. Such requirement is impractical or expensive when used on a large number of plants or on an agricultural field containing many hundreds of plants.
One type of plant cover involves water-filled pockets or columns of a plastic material. This type of cover has several drawbacks. For example, it is difficult to use and maintain, and it is difficult to fill the individual tubes during or prior to installation. The water-filled plant cover is relatively heavy and presents a risk of damaging plants if handled improperly. Filling each tube is a time intensive endeavor thereby increasing the cost to benefit ratio of using such type of device.
Other embodiments of plant covers prevent ventilation or sunshine from reaching the plant. Other plant covers do not protect a plant from heavy rains, hail, or wind. Yet other plant covers require separate internal structures. These and other shortcomings are overcome through use of the current invention.